


Fight Me

by TheSSChestHair



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, Missing Scene, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:47:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28664970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSSChestHair/pseuds/TheSSChestHair
Summary: Missing scene during 3B. Captain Swan talking, sword fighting and bonding.A little birthday gift for @winterbythesea on tumblr.
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan
Comments: 4
Kudos: 44





	Fight Me

She was perched on a piece of old driftwood, staring at her hands and embracing the ability to finally sit and do nothing. To anyone that happened to pass by she looked deep in thought but the truth was she was boiling over. She’d chosen here because it was away from everyone. Away from her family, her friends, her son, her town, her responsibility-

I was just too much.

Not 72 hours ago she’d been in another city with another life and other memories; 72 hours ago she was plunged back into reality, given a new duty, been betrayed, torn from what she thought was her home, reunited with her family, had been thrown a bag full of surprises… and yet she hadn’t been able to take a moment to process yet.

Overwhelmed didn’t even begin to explain how she was feeling.

She felt like her composure was balancing on a knife edge and the littlest thing was about to push it off. She needed time away from everyone to get it back under control. 

To conceal.

To-

“You alright, Swan?”

Emma’s eyes squeezed shut at the voice as she took a deep breath, not wanting to lash out.

“I’m fine, I just need a few minutes alone.”

When she noticed the familiar swish of his leather coat moved to sit beside her rather than move away, she felt her anger rise.

_Something’s troubling her_ he thought as he studied the tension in her.

“What’s set you off? Anything I can help with?”

“Not now, Hook. Just- go away.”

_Back to Hook… she’s vexed._

She didn’t have the patience for him or anyone right now. When she noticed him get back up and move away wordlessly, she let her shoulders sag but also felt guilty that she’d have to add this to the endless pile of things she had to fix. 

She startled when a sword landed by her boots, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Hook’s sword. She noticed.

Looking up she found him standing a few feet away wielding a heavy branch that rested on his shoulder. 

“What are you doing?”

“Well, you’re in no mood to talk so I figured you’d do well to work that tension out instead. Come on.” he goaded as he stared impatiently at the sky.

“You want me to fight you…. With a sword.”

“If you’re not interested, I do have other ideas for working off that tension.” he winked.

Emma had to bite her cheek from smiling which only fuelled her anger more. She wanted to be mad, she didn’t want to smile right now.

She jumped up and picked up his sword, stancing herself opposite him, fully prepared to kick his ass.

“Don’t forget this didn’t end well for you last time.”

“We’ll see.” he beamed as Emma charged.

She lashed out with the sword, swinging it as if she knew what she was doing… Killian batted each strike with the branch as her sloppy and chaotic attempt at battle kept him on his toes.

The more he deflected her strikes the more frustrated she felt. She grunted, huffed, gritted her teeth, stomped, charged, pounced and spun yet not a single blow came close.

Killian remained calm and stuck to defence as he waited for her to tire. 

One last blow had his branch split into two. Emma thought she’d finally won, tired and almost out of juice… but even weaponless, the pirate managed to kick the sword out of her hand, spin and kick her legs out from her.

Emma’s ass landed in the sand with a thud as she laid there.

He collected his sword and placed it back on his hip before he approached the defeated sheriff.

He noticed that while she lay in the sand gathering her breath and staring up at the clouds, a lot of her pent up aggression from before had disappeared. 

“Feel better?” he asked as he hunkered down and sat beside her.

She didn’t respond but her nod as she rose to a seated position told him yes.

After several moments of silence, she finally spoke.

“Henry was complaining that there’s no movie theatre here in Storybrooke.” she began, “he reminded me of the first time I took him to the movies.”

Killian listened as she told him her story. 

“He was six and I took him to see- I dunno some cartoon… I remember his face lighting up, the way his legs dangled off the chair, the heartbreak in his eyes when he dropped his soda… Only it wasn’t real.”

She finally looked at him and he saw the heartbreak in her eyes.

“I remember it like it was yesterday but It didn’t happen. It’s a lie. It was all lies. All these great memories he still thinks happened… they didn’t.”

“I’m sorry, love.” 

He didn’t know what else to say. While he knew it was the right thing to do, he still felt guilt that he’d woke her from her cursed life.

“I just- I have all these great memories, so does he… and one day soon he’s going to realise they weren’t real and I can’t bear the thought of him feeling how I do now.”

“What about your real memories?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, confused about what he was asking.

“Your real memories you share with your boy,” he explained, “you have good memories together?”

“Yeah. When I first arrived in Storybrooke-”

“If you could be rid of your faked memories, would you?” 

Emma thought for a moment, unsure of where he was going with his questions.

“No.” she finally answered, “even though I know they’re not real… I still want them.”

“Then why should it matter?”

“What are you even talking about?” she was tired and growing impatient with this confusing conversation.

“Why should it matter whether they’re real or fake? If you both have good memories in your real life and forged life… why should the legitimacy of them make a difference?”

“Because… they just do.”

“No they don’t.” he argued, “Both are moments to look back on with love, why care where they came from if both you and your lad can share them and be happy?”

She sat and stewed over his words for a moment.

She wanted to argue his point, wanted to explain all the reasons why he was wrong… but part of her couldn’t.

“Dammit.” she sighed as she let out a defeated huff.

He tried to hide the hint of a smile as he enjoyed sitting with her in the silence; the aftermath of her meltdown.

“I never won against you that day by the lake… did I.”

Her pointed statement took him somewhere else as he smirked to himself. He looked up and caught her eye, seeing the suspicious squint she was throwing him.

“Course you did.” 

Her silent chuckle let him know she didn’t believe a word he’d said. 

“I better head back.”

He rose first and held his hand out to help her up.

Once standing, their eyes met, hands still clasped together as a moment passed between them.

“Killian? Thank you.”

His smile was softer this time with an added squeeze of her hand for reassurance. 

“Anytime, Swan.”

Both began to walk in union back to the town to face whatever new fresh hell had managed to conjure up in the time they’d been gone.

At least she was a lot calmer as she headed once more into the breach.

At least she had her person beside her to help her. 

At least she was no longer alone. 


End file.
